The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1887-12-26
A CHRISTMAS MURDER.
NATHANIEL BURKE SLABS EIs
WIFE TO DEATH.


a Saturday Night Quarrel Winds Up
in a Fight-He Breaks Her Finger but
Returns and Deals Her a Deadly
Blow-He Calls Her to HIM to Ask
Her Forgiveness and Then Stays Her.
There is family of colored people living
near Savannah that will always remember
Christmas with sorrow, for it will bring the
recollection of murder that was commit
ted yesterday--a murder as heinous as the
records of crime will show. 1t was the kill
ing Of woman by her husband, and it was
one OF the most brutal and willtul crimes
that has been perpetrated here for many a
day.
The murderer is Nat Burke, a worthless
fellow who married Lucinda Williams some
two years ago, She was the daughter of
Preacher Williams, the colored pastor at
Townsville, or Station No. ! on the City
and Suburban railway. Burke married the
girl and settled down like dutiful son-in-
law to be supported by his wife's
family. He has lived with
the preacher ever since he
has been married, but he never contributed
ANYTHING to his wifes support, and more
treatment of her. quarreling incessantly,
and often beating her. 1t cannot he said
that she bore his Ill usage with meekness
and submission for the truth is that she did
al she could toward paying him back in his
own coin and fights between them were not
of infrequent occurrence.
THE FATAL QUARREL.
On Christmas eve Burke and his wife got
into another dispute. The sacred season bad
no charm for them, for they were both I'M
der the influence of LIQUOR, and neither was
in very good humor. Burke went into the
house and begun to complain of the manner
of bis fathel-in-law whose bread kept him
alive. His wife retorted sharply, defending
her father against her husbands structures.
Within very few minutes they were
engaged in a rough and tumble fight during
which one of Lucinda's fingers was broken.
She screamed and yelled so vociferously
that Burke was scared, and he left the house
and runaway He did not return
that night, nor was he on hand
at breakfast time yesterday morning, but
about $3.50 o'clock he went up to
the house and standing outside lie
called. 10 his wife to come
to him. She went TO the window and asked
him what be wanted. He told her he was
sorry for what he had done and wanted to
see her. She went ont of the door and
twenty feet from the door, She walked
straight up to him and stood beside him,
and just as she was about to speak, Burke
drew a "a knife and plunged it into her
groin.
THE F. ,AL THRUST.
The woman scream 4 with pain and fell
to the ground Her fathsr and mother
heard her or and rushed fre m the house,
but by tn tia they re.sseec the door
Burke was hun red yards away and run
ming for de-Li life. The woman'S mother
tore her cloths from her and attempted to
stop the flow of blood, but it was only
minute before she died. Her body was car
ried into the house and laid upon the bed,
and the neighbors gathered around and in
spite of Christmas day the colored popula-
ton of Townsville turned it into day of
mourning.
The body was dressed for burial and at
midday messenger was sent to the city to
report the murder. He arrived at the
police barracks at 1890 o'clock and when
the crime was made known Chief of Police
Anderson sent Mounted Officers Brantly
and Bond out to search for the murderer.
HUNTING FOR THE MURDERER. F''1f'
They went out to the scene of the crime
and gathered what facts they could there
After they had learned enough to enable
them to identify Burke they began to scour
the country They hunted in every direc-
ton but could find no trace of him. They
heard that he had gone to his uncle's, seven
miles out on the Ogeechee road, and
they followed the trail there,
but did not catch him. About
o'clock they returned and reported that
Burke had made good his escape. None of
the residents of Townsville have seen any
thing of him, but they are all much in
ceused against him, and il they can learn
anything of his whereabouts the police will
be informed.